PCGamesN Interview with Production Director John Hight - Allied Races and BFA Story

PCGamesN published an interview with World of Warcraft Production Director John Hight earlier today. This interview discussed Allied Races and how Blizzard has created a story in Battle for Azeroth very different from the one in Legion.\r\rCatch up on the latest BFA info with our expansion overview and datamining.\r\rClick here to read the full interview\r\rBattle for Azeroth Story\rExpansion plots are usually developed two to three expansions in advance.\rBattle for Azeroth following Legion is interesting because we're exploring what happens in the absence of a large threat like the Burning Legion. We are our worst enemy.\rBattle for Azeroth will have two distinctive stories, tailored to each faction. Legion more-or-less told the same story for both factions.\rThe battle between the factions is reminiscent of the plots from the early storytelling days of WoW.\rBlizzard has two members of the storytelling team responsible for each faction's story. The Alliance and Horde teams meet regularly to communicate the plot development with each other. They've started developing content like this earlier than ever before, so they can play through the game and catch issues like pacing concerns quickly.\rWhile different factions may win and lose various battles in BFA, Blizzard doesn't want the end of the expansion plot to make players feel like they've definitely chosen the wrong faction.\r\r\rAllied Races\r\rBlizzard initially thought it would be interesting to have the Zandalari Troll Allied Race available before the launch of Battle for Azeroth, but later decided that the race should unlock later as we haven't experienced the storylines yet to gain their trust.\rOne factor of choosing the faction for each Allied Races is visuals. Blizzard doesn't want one faction to end up with all the cute or tough-looking characters.\rWildhammer Dwarves are possible as an Allied Race, but no immediate plans.\rBlizzard decided to combine several Orc Clans into the Mag'har Orc Allied Race because they realized all the orcs can eventually look very similar when armored up, so it would be hard to make distinct clans as separate Allied Races.\r\rBlizzard also addressed a question relating to datamining and speculation on upcoming Allied Races. This is a popular topic on Wowhead, so we've pasted the full reply below. Based on the wording, it could mean that some datamined races are later making it into the game as Allied Races, just not at launch. The most obvious example which comes to mind is the Vulpera, since they have many customization options and distinctive animations.\r\rPeople are already discussing the potential for races that haven't even been announced. What's the long-term plan?\r\rWe have it all planned out. It's certainly possible come year-end that we might make some changes based on what we've learned and what we've seen, but we definitely have a plan.\r\rBut y'know, for some of this stuff it's hard to keep it from our players once we've uploaded the data. They're pretty good at trying to datamine what's out there. What's funny though is that sometimes we'll put some of this data out, but without the intention of immediately unlocking it. Sometimes we get in trouble for that - when fans see it, they see it in some kind of encrypted form. They're positive that it's going to go live really soon, and can get a bit disappointed when it doesn't. In our case, it was just a case of it being convenient and smart to upload the data at that point in time as groundwork. So we're usually pretty careful about saying in the patch notes what players will actually see in the patch, so they know it\u2019s intentional and not an accident or some hidden quest.

Comentarios

Comentario de Nulgar

Comentario de omedon666

on 2018-05-04T00:34:08-05:00

"Battle for Azeroth will have two distinctive stories, tailored to each faction. Legion more-or-less told the same story for both factions."

Ok, but we're still going full on old gods by 8.2. If they try to tell us otherwise that's when they're flat out lying. If the alliance and the horde keep fighting each other when Queen Azshara shows up they are officially braindead. There are enough elves on both sides now, indeed enough "nightelves" on both sides now that there should be a strong "hey, you, Warchief\/King, yeah this is bigger than your race war" message ringing out in both factions. They can keep their warfronts and their island expeditions going on as expansion-evergreen faction war themed content offerings, but the story after 8.2 will be Azshara\/Old Gods. The faction war will be the "suramar" of BFA, and how relevant was Suramar by the time we were on Argus? Yeah.

Comentario de omedon666

on 2018-05-04T00:53:19-05:00

It's definitely clear after reading this interview, and this is a theory I've held for a while that's supported by every allied race coming with a character slot, that we as players are kinda sorta intended to play both sides to see all of the story. They can't come out and say that really, and I mean, I'm fine with that, and I'd intended to have "factional mains" anyway, but... "declare your allegiance," my ass. :P

Comentario de Joyreym

on 2018-05-04T01:07:48-05:00

What are the names of people who are working on the development of each faction? So I can know who to blame or create an altar of exaltation hahahaha. I've heard that the leveling of the horde is more interesting than the alliance in the sense of immersion in the scenario and interesting things to do.They join several orcish clans in a single race, but dwarves do everything separately for us to have multiple characters to up, both technically, Wildhamer and Iron already in the alliance.I do not know if it's to get hyped.

Comentario de Asturinah

on 2018-05-04T01:08:14-05:00

I'm excited for the possibilities of Wildhammer Dwarves and Vulpera being an allied race!

Comentario de Dracold

on 2018-05-04T01:10:21-05:00

"While different factions may win and lose various battles in BFA, Blizzard doesn't want the end of the expansion plot to make players feel like they've definitely chosen the wrong faction."\r\rAaaah. So it's only at the very end of the expansion that we will not feel we chose the wrong faction. But until that point, we will feel nothing else.

Comentario de TehLucario

on 2018-05-04T01:12:08-05:00

He does have a point. Data Mining does make us go insane at times.

Comentario de angeleyed

on 2018-05-04T01:19:19-05:00

After reading this I guess if the vulpera\/sethrak scenario comes true, horde will get vulpera 100%. Mixed feelings, I like sethrak a lot.

Comentario de Grumar

on 2018-05-04T01:22:52-05:00

So far blizzard has done a terrible job making up feel as if we chose wrong faction, they keep saying both factions will do terrible stuff, but we have no examples of allis doing so and in fact the horde going so bad that Saurfang one of the most beloved characters and the pinnacle of honor within the horde if no all of azeroth fricking leaving the horde....

Comentario de Slee90

on 2018-05-04T01:24:34-05:00

After reading this I guess if the vulpera\/sethrak scenario comes true, horde will get vulpera 100%. Mixed feelings, I like sethrak a lot.\r\rAs Alliance main, I'd be ok with this. I didn't (still kinda don't) think Sethrak helms would work but man I really like their models after seeing them in-game. \r\rAs for Wildhammer Dwarves, having 3 dwarf races seems excessive - just give regular dwarves tattoo options imo.

Comentario de omedon666

on 2018-05-04T01:36:52-05:00

Wildhammer dwarves could literally be as easy as the golden eyes were for bloodelves: Add some customization for tattoos to the bronzebeard\/standard dwarves, maybe some hairstyles, done.

Comentario de Nickname404

on 2018-05-04T01:39:07-05:00

Wildhammer dwarves? Y E S. Want them since Cataclysm. One of the most fun and less peacocky races.\r\rWe are our worst enemy.\rWill we fight ourselves? If we're more dangerous than Old Gods, demons, undead etc?\r\rWhile different factions may win and lose various battles in BFA, Blizzard doesn't want the end of the expansion plot to make players feel like they've definitely chosen the wrong faction.\rSometimes thoughts about "wrong faction" depend not on lost battles. Sometimes they depend on a lost image of faction.

Comentario de cparle87

on 2018-05-04T01:40:31-05:00

So far blizzard has done a terrible job making up feel as if we chose wrong faction, they keep saying both factions will do terrible stuff, but we have no examples of allis doing so and in fact the horde going so bad that Saurfang one of the most beloved characters and the pinnacle of honor within the horde if no all of azeroth fricking leaving the horde....\r\rGo quest as Horde in Southern Barrens and come back and tell me that. You have an outpost attacked during the Shattering, its people taken prison, beaten savagely, and when one prisoner objected to the treatment he was kicked in the head until he was blind. Then they air firebombed a civilian town so they could lay siege to the race in the Horde who wasn't out to get them.

Comentario de Grumar

on 2018-05-04T01:48:43-05:00

So far blizzard has done a terrible job making up feel as if we chose wrong faction, they keep saying both factions will do terrible stuff, but we have no examples of allis doing so and in fact the horde going so bad that Saurfang one of the most beloved characters and the pinnacle of honor within the horde if no all of azeroth fricking leaving the horde....\r\rGo quest as Horde in Southern Barrens and come back and tell me that. You have an outpost attacked during the Shattering, its people taken prison, beaten savagely, and when one prisoner objected to the treatment he was kicked in the head until he was blind. Then they air firebombed a civilian town so they could lay siege to the race in the Horde who wasn't out to get them.\r\rThats expansions old lore, by that logic garrosh lore could still be held against the horde.

Comentario de Sardos

on 2018-05-04T01:50:32-05:00

Digging up Cata stuff to find the one genuinely bad thing Alliance did exposes the problem of Blizzards writing. The Alliance today doesn't face any of the issues it used to in early Warcrafts and parts of Vanilla. \r\rWhere are the members whose hatred for the Orcs blind them to all reason? Or the members like Perenolde\/Blackmoore who had no interest in the Alliance, but used it for personal gain? \r\rHorde are getting shafted with Sylvanas, but even the Alliance players should be worried that there is no real depth to their own faction. Even Rogers\/Genn are so tame in their 'hatreds'.

Comentario de Willblade

on 2018-05-04T01:54:06-05:00

While different factions may win and lose various battles in BFA, Blizzard doesn't want the end of the expansion plot to make players feel like they've definitely chosen the wrong faction.\r\r\rLol, so the ending is the only thing that matters? Because rn it looks like it, and I doubt anything will fix that. No matter how "redeeming" the Horde may be at the end, it will not erase the start of the expansion.

Comentario de MaXiiczek

on 2018-05-04T02:13:02-05:00

So far blizzard has done a terrible job making up feel as if we chose wrong faction, they keep saying both factions will do terrible stuff, but we have no examples of allis doing so and in fact the horde going so bad that Saurfang one of the most beloved characters and the pinnacle of honor within the horde if no all of azeroth fricking leaving the horde....\r\rGo quest as Horde in Southern Barrens and come back and tell me that. You have an outpost attacked during the Shattering, its people taken prison, beaten savagely, and when one prisoner objected to the treatment he was kicked in the head until he was blind. Then they air firebombed a civilian town so they could lay siege to the race in the Horde who wasn't out to get them.\r\rThis was in Cataclysm, we have examples on both sides for that time... but he meant new stories, current situation, right now Blizzard paints the Horde as evil thanks to Sylvanas' behavior, that's the problem for most people who care about the story...

Comentario de omedon666

on 2018-05-04T02:16:36-05:00

While different factions may win and lose various battles in BFA, Blizzard doesn't want the end of the expansion plot to make players feel like they've definitely chosen the wrong faction.\r\r\rLol, so the ending is the only thing that matters? Because rn it looks like it, and I doubt anything will fix that. No matter how "redeeming" the Horde may be at the end, it will not erase the start of the expansion.\r\rIt's interesting how this medium, that plays out over months, that we are invested and personally "involved" in "living through," can't necesarily get away with the same sort of idea that a book, a movie, or even a TV show can cite: Just wait for the season finale. Thing is, playing through the months of perhaps...less favorable episodes costs money and more importantly, time, more time than a simple hour episode here or there. In saying "just wait for the finale..." that's actually a bit of a deep trust fall. It's interesting to ponder that there is a very viable argument of "um, no, I'm not going to pay you for a trip through the garbage chute just because it lands me into a valley of puppies and happiness..." Because, really if you think about it, the nature of the game demands we later be able to skip past the garbage chute because they want late joining players to catch up fast to play with their friends.\r\rThey really aren't in a position to ask us to take that garbage chute ride, if one is truly affronted.

Comentario de Dracold

on 2018-05-04T02:22:02-05:00

Digging up Cata stuff to find the one genuinely bad thing Alliance did exposes the problem of Blizzards writing. The Alliance today doesn't face any of the issues it used to in early Warcrafts and parts of Vanilla.

Where are the members whose hatred for the Orcs blind them to all reason? Or the members like Perenolde\/Blackmoore who had no interest in the Alliance, but used it for personal gain?

Horde are getting shafted with Sylvanas, but even the Alliance players should be worried that there is no real depth to their own faction. Even Rogers\/Genn are so tame in their 'hatreds'.

I am not too knowledgeable about Alliance lore, but I faintly remember reading something about Gilneas before Cataclysm came. And it sounded like Gilneas straight up refused to join the Alliance and didn't care about the Horde in the slightest. Fast forward today, and Gilneas is basically leading the entire Alliance. I mean, look at the siege of Undercity cinematic and tell me it's not Genn manipulating Anduin into this siege.I guess it makes sense now that Genn hates the Horde. But that storyline came only with Cataclysm to justify this new race for the Alliance. And unlike the Horde, the Alliance never has inner conflicts.Like the Blood in the Snow scenario. It's laughable. The premise is that the Dwarves are divided because the Dark Irons are untrustworthy and basically back-stabby... only for Moira to become the ultimate white knight without any single flaw teaching everyone a lesson in friendliness and love and Varian being the catalyst for it because he's the only one giving her a chance. (Learn your lesson kids: Making the first move to trust somebody who is regarded as evil is always a good thing to do and it can never have any downsides.) Every difference they might have had before was solved because the conflict ended up being just imaginary. The good dwarves were meant to be ashamed for not trusting the "dark ones" because they looked scary on the surface.And this seems to be the extent of all inner conflict inside the Alliance. All of it is imaginary - mistrust for unfounded bias because of shallow characteristics. I am certain that the Void Elves will get the same treatment. They will be shunned because they look scary and wield "evil powers"... but then they will keep doing heroic acts with literally nothing questionable to the Alliance... and the lesson will be learned to not judge by appearances or by the source of powers.While the Horde's storyline will be about self interest for some races, betrayal and being brought to the brink of being dissolved. While some races will just tag along and not protest because there will not be enough screentime for them. Like how Nightborne immediately go on important secret missions that feel morally ambiguous and require the complete trust of their evil Warchief without even signaling their presence outside of the "yessir" talk.

I think that the Blizzard policy of having one team for Horde story and one team for Alliance story actually explains this stark contrast in story-writing philosophies and plot development perfectly.

Comentario de Quadram

on 2018-05-04T02:32:05-05:00

So far blizzard has done a terrible job making up feel as if we chose wrong faction, they keep saying both factions will do terrible stuff, but we have no examples of allis doing so and in fact the horde going so bad that Saurfang one of the most beloved characters and the pinnacle of honor within the horde if no all of azeroth fricking leaving the horde....\r\rAlliance full on assaults the Warchief in Stormheim, breaking the truce and technically starts the war all over again. Hope that's a good enough example for you. \rYeah i'm also disappointed in Saurfang, hope they fix the intro scenario to him being hurt or something, staying behind to not slow the others down. Not this grumpy old man, who just wants to die "honorably"...